I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I think you will see that it is for a good reason after reading this one. As my past few posts suggest, things here have been very stressful lately. But I have to say that these things haven't influenced me in quite the way that some of you might think. As a matter of fact, I've taken these events as a sign to make a change in my life, to take a new direction for myself.
So to cut to the chase, I will be leaving Korea in early November or late October in order to enroll in an Educational Masters TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program that starts in January at Boston University. I know this may come as a shock to some of you, but I assure you that this is the right decision for me at this point.
So to go into more detail, here are a few of the reasons I've decided this:
1. The one thing I had expectations for when I got to Korea was that I was going to be teaching for a solid year. That I would get invaluable experience here and see if I like it. Well, that isn't the case. I've been baby-sitting for the past three-plus months and have gained minimal experience. That being said, I've realized because of this outcome that I want to teach, and not just play with kids. This has been a very important step for me.
2. Having realized that I will be returning to grad school in order to pursue this next step it has become apparent that I would be staying around for money. In other words, I'd be sitting around, making money and not really enjoying myself. This does not jive with me at all.
3. The cultural aspects of this country have been great and I have enjoyed it, but it really isn't enough for me to stick around more than I need to. I have no ill will towards Korea, my school, other teachers, or gimchi.
4. I found a great program that has open enrollment and is exactly what I want to go into and for many different levels. It's (pardon the oxy-moron) a blanket specialization. I am very excited to start my re-education. Since its based out of Massachusetts (a state known for education) the accreditation has reciprocity with 42 other states in the Union, giving me ample opportunities for placement in the future. I will also have the chance to be surrounded by some very important people in my life, to boot.
So yes, dear readers, this means that The Nuprin Diaries will have a few more weeks of existence, and then I imagine (Mark willing, of course) it will change names but remain operational for your access into my life.
I hope that you can all understand and aren't disappointed. I assure you that this has been a huge weight off my shoulders and I cannot tell you the last time I have felt so sure about my life before. I thank you for your support throughout these upcoming months and encourage you to write me an email if you have any questions that perhaps I didn't answer here.
Cheers,
Ryan